The gas chamber, also known as the crematory was installed in the mortuary of the crematory, one gas chamber could hold 700 to 800 people (17 x 4.5 m). The Zyklon B was poured into the gas chamber through openings in the roof. The gas chambers had shower heads that sprayed hydrocyanic acid. The mortuary had ventilation systems that cleared the room after every one died. The gas chamber was put into operation in autumn 1941. The last killings were carried out in December 1942 when the Sonderkommando, which had removed the corpses of the first mass graves in Birkenau, was gassed (Seven).
The provisional Gas Chambers Bunker 1 and Bunker 2 in Birkenau
Because the capacity of Crematory I was not sufficient for the growing number of people that needed to be killed. if Auschwitz was to play an important role in killing all the European Jews, and because the location was too near to the Stammlager, the camp administration found an alternative solution at the Birkenau camp site. Two empty houses belonging to expelled Poles were converted into gas chambers.(seven). Bunker 1, also called the "Red House" because of its red, unplastered walls, was located at the north border of the Birkenau camp, at the later construction section III. The building measured about 15 x 6 m and originally had four rooms, which were now converted into two gas chambers. Each room had a door, and the windows were sealed with bricks. For the introduction of the gas, each of the two rooms had two openings (about 30 x 40 cm) in the outer walls which could be closed with gas-tight flaps. The doors were made air-tight with felt, and could be additionally tightened with screws. Signs ("to disinfection") were posted at the doors. Inside the gas chambers the walls were painted white, and the floor was covered with sawdust after each gassing. Because a ventilation system was not installed, the aeration took a long time. In the beginning, the gassings were carried out at night, later in the daytime as well because of too many and too unpunctual transports. Each gas chamber could contain up to 400 victims. The corpses were buried in mass graves nearby.(Seven)
The End of the Gas Chambers
Crematory IV was set on fire by its Sonderkommando during the uprising on 7 October 1944, and thereafter was not longer utilizable.
Crematories II and III were blown up by the SS on 20 January 1945.
Crematory V was blown up as the last one 26 January 1945, just before the liberation of Auschwitz(Seven).
Crematory at the Stammlager
The gas chamber, also known as the crematory was installed in the mortuary of the crematory, one gas chamber could hold 700 to 800 people (17 x 4.5 m). The Zyklon B was poured into the gas chamber through openings in the roof. The gas chambers had shower heads that sprayed hydrocyanic acid. The mortuary had ventilation systems that cleared the room after every one died. The gas chamber was put into operation in autumn 1941. The last killings were carried out in December 1942 when the Sonderkommando, which had removed the corpses of the first mass graves in Birkenau, was gassed (Seven).
The provisional Gas Chambers Bunker 1 and Bunker 2 in Birkenau
Because the capacity of Crematory I was not sufficient for the growing number of people that needed to be killed. if Auschwitz was to play an important role in killing all the European Jews, and because the location was too near to the Stammlager, the camp administration found an alternative solution at the Birkenau camp site. Two empty houses belonging to expelled Poles were converted into gas chambers.(seven).Bunker 1, also called the "Red House" because of its red, unplastered walls, was located at the north border of the Birkenau camp, at the later construction section III. The building measured about 15 x 6 m and originally had four rooms, which were now converted into two gas chambers. Each room had a door, and the windows were sealed with bricks. For the introduction of the gas, each of the two rooms had two openings (about 30 x 40 cm) in the outer walls which could be closed with gas-tight flaps. The doors were made air-tight with felt, and could be additionally tightened with screws. Signs ("to disinfection") were posted at the doors. Inside the gas chambers the walls were painted white, and the floor was covered with sawdust after each gassing. Because a ventilation system was not installed, the aeration took a long time. In the beginning, the gassings were carried out at night, later in the daytime as well because of too many and too unpunctual transports. Each gas chamber could contain up to 400 victims. The corpses were buried in mass graves nearby.(Seven)
The End of the Gas Chambers
Crematory IV was set on fire by its Sonderkommando during the uprising on 7 October 1944, and thereafter was not longer utilizable.Crematories II and III were blown up by the SS on 20 January 1945.
Crematory V was blown up as the last one 26 January 1945, just before the liberation of Auschwitz(Seven).
Works Cited
"The Seven Gas Chambers at Auschwitz." Auschwitz Gas Chambers. N.p., 31 May 2006. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. <http://www.deathcamps.org/gas_chambers/gas_chambers_auschwitz.html>.
"Photo Archives." Photo Archives. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. <http://digitalassets.ushmm.org/photoarchives/detail.aspx?id=1166529>.